grave import

Obituary

One man killed, a score injured and property damage amounting to thousands of dollars is the record of a few short moments of destruction embodied in a train crash on the Burlington at Lockridge, Iowa, late yesterday afternoon. As train No. 6, the Denver Chicago flier passed over the west switch at Lockridge, which is thirty-eight miles west of here, the four rear cars of the train left the main track and dashing into the siding, hit the rear end of a wrecking train, demolishing it and killing Swan Bloom, cook of the wrecking crew, whose home is in West Burlington, and seriously injuring three other men.
A score of passengers on No. 6 were injured more or less, while the three Pullmans and the chair car were battered and broken. One passenger may die and the others are doing well in the hospitals in this city, where they were brought, or in the hotels, where they were attended by physicians.
Just what caused the switch points to shift and sidetrack the rear of train No. 6, will never be definitely known. The train was about an hour late and arrived at Lockridge shortly after 4 o’clock, being due here at 3:55 when on time. The train was in charge of Conductor Henry Goodell of this city and the engineer was WH Maxwell and the fireman Hans Dons, both of this city. It is supposed that the heavy mail sack which is thrown off at Lockridge hit the switch post, breaking it off and thus removing the restraint on the points of the switch and the train in passing over shifted the rails in such manner as to sidetrack the rear cars. As soon as the rear of the train broke away, the air connections were severed and the front of the train came to an abrupt stop not a hundred yards from the scene of the accident. The chair car broke away from the smoker in front and was followed by the diner, a Pullman sleeper, and the observation car. This equipment swooped down upon the frail passenger coach used as a dining car by the member of the wrecking crew. There was a crash and the heavy cars bowled over the dining car, imprisoning its occupants. The chair car was badly mashed and the diner and the two Pullmans suffered serious damage.
The wrecking train had been sent out from Burlington yesterday morning to pick up a freight wreck near Batavia. Engineer Frick was in charge of the engine on this train and they put in at Lockridge to load material. The crew, for the most part, were engaged in this work and the only occupants of the dining car were Frick, Bloom, Ellerhoff, Anderson, and Peterson. Bloom was instantly killed and Peterson is in a serious condition. The other men are doing nicely at Burlington hospital and will recover.
The worst sufferers from the wreck were in the chair car. In this car was young Allen of Monmouth, whose recovery is despaired of. There was the usual crowd of people at the Lockridge station to see the flyer go through and these, together with the wrecking train gang, quickly hurried to the rescue of the victims. The wrecking train diner was hurled from the track and turned over on its side, and this fact alone saved the lives of the four survivors. They were speedily taken from the debris and the work of assisting the passengers was carried out with promptness and dispatch. The injured people were taken to hospitals and hotels. It was a busy session for the doctors, and all the ambulances in town were pressed into service in conveying the injured to the hospitals.
There were several narrow escapes from fire, the wreckage igniting a number of times, but the flames were extinguished by the vigilant rescuers. The passengers who were not injured worked willingly with the volunteers from the town and the members of the wrecking crew, and it was not long before all the wounded were removed to places of safety. For a wonder, the cooks or the writers in the dining cars escaped without injury, although they were in the thickest of the wreck.
The body of Swan Bloom was brought to West Burlington last night on train No. 4. He had been an employee of the Burlington for a great number of years and was a faithful member of the wrecking crew. At one time he sustained a fracture of his leg, which permanently disabled him, and he was given the job of cook with the wrecking crew, a lifetime post. He was well known in West Burlington, where he lived many years, and was a prominent member of the Lutheran church and a good citizen, husband, and father. He was 54 years of age and is survived by a widow and four children; Miss Maud Bloom, Mrs. Emil Roden; Mrs. John Olsen, and Walter Bloom, all residing in West Burlington.
The passengers who escaped death or serious injury consider themselves fortunate. The wreck was certainly a nasty one in every respect and the cars were badly damaged, every bit of glass being shattered. Allen was buried in the debris and when rescued was unconscious. His parents arrived om the city this morning and are watching by his bedside. The other passenger victims will no doubt be able to resume their journeys in a few days.

Funeral info: 3-23-1906: The funeral of the late Swan Bloom took place from the family residence at 2 o’clock and thence from the Swedish Lutheran church at 2:30. The Rev. Karleen officiated and delivered a beautiful discourse, dwelling upon the many virtues of the deceased. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in West Burlington and the church was taxed to its fullest capacity and many were unable to gain admittance. The floral offerings of his many friends and his fellow employees were both numerous and beautiful. The interment was at Aspen Grove cemetery and hundreds of friends followed the coffin to the grave. Carl Linberg, JE Johnson, John Linberg, John Enberg, John Envail and John Person acted as pallbearers.